USC Trojans vs. Arizona Wildcats Predictions, Picks, Odds and NCAA Basketball Betting Preview – February 23, 2017

USC Trojans vs. Arizona Wildcats NCAAB Preview

Where: McKale Memorial Center – Tucson, AZ

When: Thursday, February 23, 2017 – 10:00 PM ET

Line: USC Trojans (+8) vs. Arizona Wildcats (-8) – view all NCAAB lines

TV Broadcast: PAC12

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Betting on the USC Trojans (21-6, 8-6 PAC-12)

Point Spread: +8

It’s been an exhausting 12-day stretch for the Trojans. The upcoming game will be their third-straight matchup against a top 10 team. They just got pummeled by Oregon and UCLA, with both opponents holding them to 70 points and under 38 percent shooting.

USC has four guys averaging over 12 points per game this season, but considering everything, Chimezie Metu (14.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG) was the only one that has really played and contributed well in their last two, as he is netting 15 points and five rebounds (60 percent shooting) in that span. Bennie Boatwright (14.1 PPG), the team’s other key option, is tallying 17.5 points and eight rebounds in the same pair of outings, which looks good and all, except when you know that he’s only making 25.9 percent of his shots.

As they visit Arizona, Metu and Boatwright will have to continue being assertive, and co-starters Elijah Stewart (13.4 PPG) and Jordan McLaughlin (12.7 PPG, 5.1 APG) must perform better.

The Trojans are doing okay on the road this season (7-3 SU, 5-5 ATS), but as one of the weaker offensive teams in the in the conference (seventh in scoring and assists, and 10th in shooting), they may have a tough night at McKale Center.

Betting on the Arizona Wildcats (25-3, 14-1 PAC-12)

Point Spread: -8

The Wildcats added another W to their new winning streak, as they got by the lowly Washington Huskies over the weekend, 76-68. It was their fourth-straight victory after the blowout loss to Oregon weeks back.

The game featured a couple of good showings from Arizona, with Lauri Markkanen posting 26 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds (including a career-high seven offensive boards), and Alonzo Trier splashing a career-best four threes, en route to contributing 21 points.

Moving forward, Markkanen (15.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG) and Trier (13.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.8 APG) should be able to continue what they do best. They are not powering the team to eye-popping stat rankings in the PAC-12 (fifth in scoring, fourth in shooting, fourth in assists, and sixth in threes), but through their leadership, their team is sitting atop of the conference (14-1 SU, 6-8-1 ATS). Additionally, Arizona has also won ten-consecutive games at home (2-7-1 ATS).

Writer’s Prediction

The Wildcats (-8) win, 80-74.

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